Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta and U.S. Secretary of State, Condollezza Rice have signed a joint declaration reaffirming the mutual goals of Afghanistan and the U.S. The agreement was signed during Spanta's official visit to the U.S.
On May
13th, Dr. Spanta met with the U.S. Secretary of State, after
which the two signed the declaration, which includes effective security, the
conditions for future prosperity, good governance, and a continued
fight against illegal drugs.
“The United States and Afghanistan have a
shared vision for the future,” said Secretary Rice. “And we now, of
course, have a shared history. It is a shared responsibility to fight
terrorism and extremism and to replace their dark vision with an
ideology of hope and democracy and prosperity for all people…the
international community after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan
did not stay with the people of Afghanistan. We will not make that
mistake again, Minister. We are committed to Afghanistan. We are
committed to its future.”
Read the declaration here:
United States-Afghanistan Declaration
The United States and Afghanistan reaffirm their mutual goals of enhancing long-term security, democracy,
and prosperity in Afghanistan. Since the establishment of the U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership in May
2005, the United States and Afghanistan have made great progress in the pursuit of these common strategic
objectives.
Two meetings of the U.S.-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership have held since its establishment, laying the
foundation of a substantive dialogue that is bringing our two countries to a greater degree of mutual
understanding than ever before. We intend to convene a third meeting in the fall. This dialogue underscores
our long-term endeavor to implement and carry forward our shared vision of an Afghanistan fully at peace
with itself and its neighbors for decades.
In the area of security, we intend to continue to work together, alongside international partners, to build
responsible, accountable, and effective national security forces with the military, police, and intelligence
capabilities to defend Afghanistan, protect the populace, and promote rule of law. Once security and stability
are firmly established in Afghanistan, the Government of Afghanistan expects to support international
security by deploying the Afghan National Army in support of peacekeeping missions worldwide. Through
the NATO-led International Security Assistance Forces and Operation Enduring Freedom, the United States
continues to help Afghanistan defeat threats to its government and its sovereignty.
For Afghanistan’s future prosperity, we continue to work as partners in developing a business and legal
climate that promotes trade, investment, and economic development. We intend to work together in
pursuing macro-economic stability, where Afghanistan has made impressive strides, as well as fiscal
sustainability,. We intend to continue working closely together to help Afghanistan rebuild its infrastructure
and support programs that foster growth of a vibrant private sector and create jobs for the Afghan people,
such as the Reconstruction Opportunity Zone initiative. Our shared vision is for Afghanistan to realize its full
economic potential as a land bridge that links Central and South Asia.
Both countries pledge to increase efforts to advance democratic good governance and development of civil
society based on the rule of law and human rights. We intend to continue to work together closely to improve
Afghan government capacities, fight corruption, accelerate justice reforms, and enhance the Government of
Afghanistan’s ability to deliver better services to its people. Our focus more then ever is on bringing the
benefits of good governance to people in the provinces.
The United States and Afghanistan recognize the scourge that illegal drugs inflict on our societies and the
pervasive impact they have on the long-term security, governance and prosperity in Afghanistan. We remain
partners in a multifaceted drug control strategy centered on judicial reforms; interdiction; alternative
development, narcotics elimination and eradication; and public information. Every effort is to be made to
expand economic opportunity for farmers and rebuild the rural economy in order to create suitable
alternative to poppy. Strong governor-led eradication programs continue. Both countries are committed to
better law enforcement, including arrests and conviction of narcotics traffickers and corrupt officials.
The Afghan people have made tremendous sacrifices and continue to demonstrate great courage in the
pursuit of freedom. Enormous progress has been made since the fall f the Taliban. The Afghanistan compact
singed in London in January 2006 continues to guide our support of Afghanistan in its efforts to become a
modern, secure, prosperous, and democratic society. The United States and Afghanistan hereby recommit
themselves to a shared vision of a country that is developing democratically, that us at peace, and that us
working t improve the lives f Afghans. Our strategic partnership will play a central role in helping
Afghanistan achieve these goals and bring stability to the region and the world.
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